Moonlight Discoveries
by The Werewolf Mage
Summary: Yet another take on what happened that night in which James saved Snape's life, but Snape finds out Remus is a werewolf.


Title: Moonlight Discoveries

Summary: (Yet another) take on what happened that night in which James saved Snape's life, but Snape finds out Remus is a werewolf.

A/n Yeah, sure, there are several of these floating around, but, hey, you can never have enough, lol.

The sun was beginning to set as Peter and Sirius headed into the library, so they'd have an alibi just in case someone noticed them gone later that night. James was finishing up a short detention for starting a food fight in the Great Hall. "The waiting's what kills me." Sirius muttered, running a finger along the spines of a row of books in boredom.

"Calm down, Sirius. It doesn't take too long." Peter whimpered nervously, glancing around to see if anyone was listening. The only person he spotted was Snape, who was by the window, his nose pressed in a Defense Against the Dark Arts book, and he obviously hadn't heard a word.

Just then, something moving outside caught Snape's attention. Sirius's ears pricked like a dog's. "Where in the world is Lupin going?" Snape muttered.

"Watch this." Sirius grinned at Peter. "Want to find out?" he asked Snape, trying to look innocent. "I'll tell you. That is, if you trust me."

Snape's eyes narrowed. "I wouldn't trust you as far as I could throw you, Black."

Sirius sighed. "OK, then. I guess I won't be telling you." Sirius began to walk off slowly, hoping Snape would take the bait.

Snape's need to know got the best of him, and, mentally kicking himself for wanting to know in the first place, he said, "Fine. I trust you."

Sirius grinned. "OK, I'll tell you. Go to the Whomping Willow. There's a knot a couple of feet from the ground. If you take a stick and press it, the tree'll stop moving long enough for you to get into a passageway under the tree. Follow it. You'll find Remus."

"That's it?"

"That's it." Sirius nodded. "Well, Peter." he called. "It's getting about time we head on back to our Common Room." Sirius winked.

Outside of the library, Sirius burst into peals of laughter. "Sirius, that wasn't fair. Snape could get killed." Peter scowled.

"Serves him right for being a nosy git." Sirius grinned. "Come on, let's go find James."

They found him coming out of the Great Hall, rubbing his arm, which ached from scrubbing. But he grinned when he saw them. "James, you'll never guess what Sirius did." Peter said.

"Oh? I'll never? Not in a million years? What did he do, then?"

"Well, Snape saw Moony going through the passage under the Willow and wanted to know where he went. So, Sirius told him what to do to find out."

James stared. "Sirius, you didn't!"

"I did." Sirius smirked. "Why? The little git deserves to be torn to pieces."

James groaned. Sometimes Sirius just didn't seem to think. And this was one of those times. Well, he, for one, did not want Snape's death on his conscience. So, he headed out on the grounds and towards the Willow.

Snape was about halfway through the tunnel when James caught up with him. "Snape, you need to go back. Now. Before something happens." he panted, out of breath.

Snape continued on, ignoring James's warnings, assured that there was nothing at the end of this passage that could possibly hurt him..

As he reached the end of the tunnel, he gaped. At the mouth of the passage, snarling, stood a fully grown werewolf. James seized Snape by the neck of his robes and tossed him aside, sending a Stunning Spell towards Remus. It missed, but spooked him enough so that he left them alone and let them go.

"Potter, just because you saved my life, doesn't make you any less of an arrogant twit." Snape muttered, dragging himself out of the cramped passage.

"Gee, Snape, I could always send you back down there."

Snape paled. And so did James. Waiting out of reach of the Willow stood McGonagall, positively fuming. "Think we'd have better chance with the werewolf?" Snape asked.

"Dumbledore's office. NOW!" McGonagall barked. The two hung their heads and followed her to Dumbledore's office. "Potter, I'm ashamed that a Gryffindor could do such a thing. Risking a fellow student's neck! Not to mention your own!"

"But, Professor! I didn't! I saved him. It was Sirius -- "

James's pleading attempts did not sway her. Nor did it have much of an effect on Dumbledore. "Is this true, Severus? Did James save your life?"

Snape, who would rather eat Stinksap than admit he was saved by a Gryffindor, didn't reply.

"You mustn't tell a soul what you saw. Do you understand?" Snape nodded. "Very well. You both may go."

James glared at Snape, who looked quite ready to tell the first person who walked by what he saw in the passage. "You tell a single soul and I will curse you to hell and back, you understand me? You might be able to get away with lying to Dumbledore, but I will not let you ruin this for Remus."

Snape sneered before heading back to his dorm, but knew James meant every word. Neither boy didn't get a wink of sleep that night. Snape, for fear of James's threats and the thought of there being a werewolf at Hogwarts. James, for his anger at Sirius and Snape. Sirius, however, slept soundly.

A/n

Well, got to say, I love it. I think it's one of my best so far. If anyone else likes this, then, let me know. I'll probably also wind up doing the scene from PoA in which Snape lets it slip that Remus is a werewolf at breakfast.


End file.
